Shoe-tree.



F. x. UELANEY.

SHOE TREE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG|3| `9'll.

Patented July 9,1918.

L27L547b FRANK X. DELANEY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVNIA.

SHOE-TREE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application led August 3, 1917. Serial No. 184,198.-

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK X. DELANEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and kState of Pennsylvama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Trees, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved shoe tree of the type used to keep shoes in shape while not being worn.

Shoe trees of the above described type which were made prior to my invention usually included toe pieces made entirely of Wood or other hard material which would easily slip into a shoe. It it well known that a wooden toe piece is incapable of properly filling the toe portion of the shoe for the obvious reason that after the shoe has been stretched due to wear, the Wooden piece which previously lit the toe portion of the shoe is too small `to completely lill the toe portion of the -stretched shoe.

One object of my invention is to provide a shoe tree which is capable of completely filling the toe portion of the shoe no matter how much the same has been stretched, and will smooth out the wrinkles in the leather.

A further object is to make my invention of a simple and durable construction and so that it can be manufactured and sold at a reasonably low price.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the followingmanner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a shoe having my improved shoe tree therein.

Fig. 2y is transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of a valve which l preferably employ.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a pneumatic element which l employ.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawing, 1 represents a shoe which may be of any type. My invention consists primarily of ahead block 2, preferably made of Wood in which the end surface 3 is preferably made fiat as illustrated in Figl:

A ba or sack 4 is made of rubber and is prefere. ly molded into a shape substantially similar to the inner portion of the toe 5 of the shoe. This bag 4 includes a portion 6 which is 'cemented or otherwise secured to the surface 3 of the block 2.

An inflating tube 7 leads outwardly from the portion 6 and has a flange 8 which abuts the inner surface of the portion 6. lThis tube 7 extends into a passage 9 in the block 2,` said passage intersecting the surface 10 of said block.

A valve casing 11 is preferably made cy lindrical and has screw-threads 12 designed to screw within the end of vthe'passage 9 which is adjacent the surface 10. A valve 13 is located Within the casing 11 and a rod 14 extends transversely across the passage and serves as an abutment to limit the inward movement of the valvel 13. A cap 15' is adapted to be screwed on the outer end of the casing 11 as clearly illustrated in` Fig. 3. y

n elongated strip 16 of resilient material, such for example as .spring steel, has

one of its ends embedded within the blockv 2, and the other end secured to a knob 17 In the use of my invention, the lbag 4 before it is inflated, can be inserted within the toe portion of the shoe, and the resilient` air pump such for example as an ordinary bicycle pump, can be screwed' on the outer end of the casing 11 and the bag can then be inated to completely fill the toe portion of the shoe. Sufficient pressure may be attained within the bag 4 not only to properly lill out the toe, but any wrinkles or creases within the ltoe portion of the shoe will be smoothed out.

The surface 3 of the block 2 forms a backing for the bag 4 while it is being inflated, and since the height of the block 2 is greater than' the height of the adjacent portion of the bag 4 before it is inflated, said surface 3' permits a portion of the bag to roll upwardly thereon. `This prevents injury to the bag which .might otherwise occur if it became congested between the top of the block and the instep portion of the shoe.

In Fig. 4, l have illustrated a form of 'my invention in which the bottom 18 of the flexible bag 19 is made separately and cemented to the edge portions -20 instead of being made in one piece as illustrated in` To remove the tree from the shoe, it is merely necessary to manually press the valve e 13 inwardly so that the air Within the bag can escape and after this has been done the entire device can be easily removed from the shoe. f

It will be noted that a device made in accordance with that above described can be used in shoes of various sizes and shapes, since it is merely necessary to pump the bag until the latter completely lls the toe space of the shoe.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it Will'be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed Without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and yalterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe tree including a head block,`

and a lexible bag having a portion secured to an outer surface of said block, said surface of the block bein extended beyond the -smooth curved end surface blending with said extended surface, lsubstantially as described.

2. A shoe tree including va head block, and a flexible bag having a-portion secured to an outer surface of said block, said surl face ofthe block being extended beyond the portion of said bag which is secured thereto to permit a portion of said bag when in- Hated to roll on the extended portion of said surface, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.'

FRANK X. DELANEY.

Witnesses:

C. R. ZmGLmz, MARY A. INGLAR. 

